the goan I network
MARGAO
Dust pollution has come to haunt Madgavkars and visitors to the commercial capital caused by the damaged roads and gravel lying unattended by the PWD, national highways and the contractor.
If the motorists had to face the ordeal of travelling along the potholed roads during the heavy downpour, they now face the double trouble of negotiating the potholes and also face dust pollution.
Apart from motorists, traders having business establishments along the Margao Municipal square and the heart of the town have complained of pollution as they are literally forced to breathe and eat dust for want of road repairs.
With no sign of the PWD, National Highways getting the road hot-mixed, beleaguered traders have taken recourse to protective face masks as a means to beat the dust pollution. Some of them have sought the intervention of Leader of the Opposition and Margao MLA Digambar Kamat to use his good offices and save them from pollution. “We have no option than to use the face masks to protect us from dust pollution. We have faced the dust during the last three days, ever since the rains stopped pouring,” remarked a
trader, who deals in biscuit business.
In fact, the entire road, right from the flyover and down to the Margao municipality and the stretch from Eagle showroom down to the petrol pump, lay in a damaged condition,
with potholes dotting the entire stretch, resulting in dust pollution.
That’s not all. While the PWD, NH had last month lifted away the gravel and loose metal along the road side, which posed threat to the motorist, the gravel has surfaced again, but the PWD officials are yet to descend again to lift away the loose material.
Why officials of the PWD, National Highways prefer to go soft on the contractor to get the road repaired or get the gravel lifted from the road side remains unknown, with Executive Engineer Laxmikant Naik only saying that the road will be repaired once the rains subside. However, it’s now three days since it has stopped raining, but there’s still no sign of the PWD either directing the contractor to take up the
repair work or get the work done departmentally and recover the amount from the contractor. Shadow council to stage protest over bad roads in Margao tomorrow
MARGAO: With the PWD, National Highways miserably failing to attend what it termed as the horrible condition of the road around the Margao Municipal garden and the stretch near the Eagles showroom area and Bank of India, the Shadow Council of Margao has decided to descend on the roads on Friday morning at 10.30 am to protest over the state of affairs.
Former Margao Municipal Chairperson Savio Coutinho said while the department has been conveniently giving excuses of heavy showers to fill up the potholes, the department has also failed to clear the loose material from the roads that is creating severe dust pollution.
“Time and again we have been requesting the department that pending the filling up of potholes, the loose material from the roads should be removed, but in vain. The loose material apart from creating dust, has also turned out to be a great risk for two-wheeler riders. There have been several incidents of riders skidding on the loose material and falling on the road suffering minor injuries. As these accidents are not registered our authorities take advantage of the same,” Coutinho said.
The SCM has appealed to all the travellers likely to use the road around Margao Municipal garden after 10.30 am on September 13 to use alternate routes for travel.
Revolutionary Goans demand accountability for road works
PANAJI: Revolutionary Goans on Wednesday demanded that either road contractor, PWD engineers or the minister should be held responsible for the condition of the roads.
“The organisation has written a letter to Chief Minister with the demand,” informed Manoj Parab, leader of Revolutionary Goans.
Revolution Goans leader Manoj Parab highlighted the fact that most of the roads in Goa are always under construction or being dug or excavated due to some or other reasons and there is a delay in bringing these roads to their original condition. Commuters travelling on roads face many hardships because of worst road conditions and mismanagement of traffic by the concerned authorities, added Parab.
“In monsoon season, the condition of roads worsen with lots of potholes,” Parab said.
Revolutionary Goans has made the demands in its letter to the Chief Minister. It has demanded that the potholes must be filled using proper method and proper durable material and not by mud.
The organisation has made another important demand that all roads must have edge marking, road marking, speed breaker marking, zebra crossing, signages, and cat-eyes wherever necessary.
Organisation has raised a demand to identified accident-prone zones must be studied and re-engineered with better structure wherever possible.
The contractor details with warranty period should be mentioned at the start point of the road and contact details must also be available on the PWD website, says the demand letter.
The organisation has also demanded that only specialised agencies should be awarded work of signboards and road markings.
Meanwhile, Revolutionary Goans welcomed the decision of the Chief Minister of implementing the new traffic fines only after repair of roads. “We hope to see the repaired roads within 15-20 days as promised,” said Parab.
